To: Frosty
by Kitera
Summary: Christmas shopping for the prince that can conjure anything isn't easy. Darcy only grows more aware of this fact as Christmas looms closer and she still hasn't gotten Loki anything for their first Christmas together.


**A/N:** This is a one-shot written for the 2012 Tasertricks Winter Exchange. My prompt came from shoutintothe-void and was that Darcy goes Christmas shopping for Loki and Loki follows her. This one-shot is unbeta'ed as such all mistakes are my own. If you notice any typos I would be very grateful if you were to point it out to me. Reviews are loved, please enjoy.

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**To: Frosty  
**_by Kitera_

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Shopping for Loki was near impossible. The man refused to allow her any form of secrecy. It was frustrating. Worse, Christmas was tomorrow, and she still hadn't quite figured out what to give him. The last thing Darcy wanted was to be one of those last minute shoppers populating the mall on Christmas Eve. The looks on several mall employees said it all.

"Please let it be Christmas already."

It was a sentiment Darcy shared. The sooner midnight came, the sooner this shopping nightmare could end. Glancing over her shoulder Darcy ducked into Macy's to raid what was left of in the men's department. She probably looked like a battered woman trying to hide from her abusive boyfriend with the way she kept looking for signs of Loki following her. If he wasn't aware what this constant invasion of privacy was doing to her sanity, someone needed to enlighten him of how wrong it was.

She trailed her fingers over the display table of polo shirts. Somehow, she doubted Loki would find them up to snuff. He was so very picky about his clothing. If he didn't conjure it himself it was to scratchy, to normal, to simple, the list went on and on. Darcy rolled her eyes. Now she knew why Thor had just grinned at her when she asked for help picking out a present for his brother. What did you get the prince that could conjure anything he wanted? And he showed enough disdain for most human inventions that pretty much anything made on Earth a no go to start with.

Heaving a sigh Darcy wandered through the gift section on the lower level. Only the floor models were left, and while that Soda Steam machine seemed cool, she doubted Loki would find it a worthwhile gift.

"I don't know why I bothered; shopping for him is like entertaining a cat." She muttered slumping back against the center display.

He knew the minute she said she was meeting Jane for coffee that she was once more going shopping. He wasn't sure why she bothered with the ruse anymore. As the God of Lies he would always know when she was lying. Loki waited until she was out of the apartment before shifting to follow her in the shadows. His curiosity, like so many more nights before, getting the better of him.

His little mortal she tried so hard to make this first Christmas of his on Midgard in centuries perfect. She didn't understand that there was nothing he needed. Everything he could need he could conjure and what he couldn't conjure he already had. Sentiment. He chuckled as he followed Darcy from one store to another. Two years ago he never would have believed that he would fall prone to the very thing he considered a weakness.

It was almost hilarious to watch his Darcy look over her shoulder for the millionth time before disappearing into a department store. She looked weary, but he needed to know what she decided on for his Christmas present. It was one of those things that his inquiring mind wouldn't allow him to ignore. But he would make up for his indiscretions a hundred times over tomorrow. It was the least he could do for driving her entirely crazy this past month.

He watched he pass up the shirts, and the gadgets. He watched as she admitted defeat.

"I'm not sure I feel a cat is an appropriate comparison my love."

And Darcy jumped when she hear him, her eyes snapping open and widening when her gaze landed on him. Snorting, she shook her head and laughed.

"I knew you were following me. You really have to stop that it's killer on my sanity." She admonished.

"My sincerest apologies, shall I make it up to you?" He asked placing his hands on Darcy's hips and dragging her away from the wall she was leaning against.

She quirked an eyebrow at him, "I think I should be offering to make it up to you since I still haven't found you a present."

His emerald eyes glowed with amusement as she admitted that there was very little left she could do. Darcy had the distinct feeling she was going to regret saying that in the near future. His grip on her hips grew a tiny bit more insistence and she knew she was going to need to do some damage control.

"Well if you feel that is necessary, I see no reason we should remain here." Her murmured his lips brushing the shell of her ear as he pulled them into the void and transported them away from the mall.

When the rainbow lights faded, and Earth reasserted itself as the reality they existed in, Darcy was surprised to find that they were standing in the middle of a spacious living room. A fire already burning in the hearth, as if their arrival was planned. Not that it was beyond possible that Loki set the fire once they reemerged from the void. A Christmas tree complete with gifts under its boughs framed by a floor to ceiling bay window, the gold and green decorations twinkling in the firelight.

"It's beautiful." Darcy breathed.

"I thought this might be a fitting reward for your troubles." Loki murmured pressing a kiss to her lips.

"You may have been right." Darcy kissed him again her fingers pulling at the straps of his armor. "I believe I said I was the one that should be making something up to you," She said pulling away imitation his speech pattern with a grin.

"Lead away."


End file.
